1. Field
The field of the invention relates to distributing and displaying emergency communications, and in particular to systems and methods for utilizing digital displays and Out-of-Home (OOH) digital signage systems or existing advertising or general communications systems to provide emergency communications information. Specifically, the invention relates to a network of sensors and networked computing devices for aggregating sensor data into an emergency management communications system, determining an event perimeter, and providing appropriate emergency communications across digital displays to effectively engage affected populations.
2. Related Art
Over the past several years a number of natural and manmade events have occurred in locations around the world that have affected the safety of human populations. These events range from natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, fires, and floods as well as manmade events such as hostage situations or terrorist attacks. In most cases, authorities in charge of saving lives and managing the event have had only a limited set of communications methods available to provide accurate information to those in need of the information. The authorities have had to rely on broadcast media agents, such as radio and television, and the Emergency Alert System (EAS) to distribute this information.
Traditional emergency alerts such as broadcast networks or one-to-one communication methods, however, often communicate information to those who either do not need it or to those who should not have access to it. This can cause confusion and inefficiency in solving the event or emergency. Warnings are most effective when delivered to just the people at risk. If people not at risk are warned, the tendency is to ignore future warnings.
Because of previous tragedies on American college campuses, some colleges have deployed SMS based distribution systems to utilize the mobile phones that a large percentage of students and staff own. Unfortunately, these systems can saturate the telephone network due to the population density near the event. With an overloaded network, such SMS communication methods are both ineffective and degrade the event communication completion time.
Digital displays and Out-Of-Home (OOH) digital signage networks that are being deployed for use in advertising can also be leveraged for visual emergency communication. With the growth of OOH Advertising that utilizes display screens that are under the control of an Advertising Network Operator (ANO), these assets can also be used to present audience specific information during an emergency situation that can augment other communications channels. These systems can deliver venue and audience specific messages that complement existing emergency networks. The power of narrowcasting, which is the ability to send specific messages to different sets of audience based on the location, demography, or role of the audience watching a screen, is a unique capability that can be leveraged for emergency communication.
The system disclosed herein presents an interface to authorities that allows them to adjust an event perimeter relating to an affected population. Authorities can adjust the affected perimeter or distribute situation updates over this network. Message updates may be standardized or can be customized by including specific details. Additionally this interface can be used to signal an end to the event and return the full system to its pre-event operating state.
U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2008/0034114, entitled, “System and Method for Managing Emergency Notifications Over Network,” discloses a communications framework for managing event and emergency notification over a network. It does not disclose using sensors or a sensor network to detect an event, nor does it disclose using sensor or event data to determine an event perimeter. Furthermore, the application does not disclose the overriding of an advertising network to display emergency communications, nor does it disclose the use of metadata in digital signage systems.
As a result of the many problems inherent in traditional and more recent event and disaster communications systems, there is a need to develop more efficient and narrowcast-implemented methods of distributing and displaying emergency communications.